20080630

**just a note: i would have normally have put this on my los angeles blog, but a lot of you are world travellers, so you might be interested in this post. i do talk about food eventually :)

i haven't been to san francisco in eons, so i thought it was about time. the last few times i did go, i drove, but with gas prices being what they are--along with the fact that i was going alone--made me decide to fly instead. also, virgin america airlines was offering a promo rate of $39 each way. sold! i later found i could pay $15 extra for a bulkhead or for an exit row seat; then when i got to the airport, they asked if i'd like to upgrade to a first class seat for $50. i would like, thankyewverramuch, but because i had paid for the legroom upgrade, my first class seat only cost another $35. whoo! $89 each way still ended up cheaper than what i would have spent on gas, so i was happy.

the flight was delayed for a sucktastic three hours; in the time i spent travelling to the airport, checking in and waiting i could already have been in sf had i driven. no matter--any irritations were melted away when i got on board: mood lighting! chillout music! happy flight attendants! apologetic captain dressed all in black! also, comfy leather seats with power outlets so i could charge my phone in flight (not just in first class, too).

and the best part? a coolicious touch screen at every seat with on demand movies, videos, live satellite television, 3000+ mp3s, games, chat rooms, and seat-to-seat chat.

how crazy awesome is that?! although, on a 50-minute flight, not many people are interested in chatting. emailing, texting, and books/articles to read are forthcoming.

if you are hungry or thirsty, you can use the touch screen to order food and drink, then pay using a credit/debit card (no cash is accepted). i forgot to check that category, but i know archer farms snacks are available. in first class, there was a little lunchbox on offer, which held three little containers and a whole lotta cutlery.

there was a soba salad with a sesame dressing, panna cotta with a pecan praline sauce, and balsamico-braised shiitake mushrooms. it may not look exciting, but all three were very good, the soba salad in particular (actually, it might be the best soba salad i've had, not that i've had many). small, but filling.

i've read a few reviews about virgin, none of them particularly good, but i had a great time, and thought it was definitely worth the price. i'm fairly certain the $39 was a temporary promotion, but as long as the prices remain competitive, i will definitely consider taking virgin again. i would, however, like to try a longer flight next time.

20080628

20080626

sometimes there's a truck selling watermelon out by the post office in barrigada (look for the corn truck); if you should see it, definitely stop by. lately the watermelons have been extra juicy and sugary sweet.

i had some feta cheese left from my grilled corn bonanza this weekend, so i used it to top a favourite salad of arugula, thinly sliced ribbons of red onion, watermelon balls, and a raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. the watermelon cools the bolder flavours and adds a nice touch of sweetness.

i don't think there's really any reason to do anything but chill and slice up these bewdies, but if you feel a little creative and have some time, a melon baller and a little mint makes for a lovely presentation.

in case you have an overripe/underripe one or are looking for a change, you can make a simple, refreshing granita. just make a simple syrup, flavour it any way you wish or leave it as is (i like to add lime zest and finely chopped fresh and candied ginger). add as much as you wish to some cut up fruit, then freeze up the lot in a zippered freezer bag. bash it about a bit every 20 minutes or so, and you'll have a light and icy summertime treat.

20080623

my cousin passed by mr. wusstig's corn truck this weekend, and brought over some ears. the weather was far too oppressive for me to think in any way beyond breathe.move.maybe.breathesomemore. so it was a miracle the corn got cooked at all, never mind something schmantzy. i simply chucked the ears onto a grill, then served them with a little basting of butter, a crumble of feta cheese, a shake of chipotle chili powder, and a squeeze of lime. generally, i prefer to eat freshly cooked corn as is, without any garnishing, but the spare addition of the salty cheese, fresh citrus, and zing of the chili complimented the sweetness of the kernels very well. i suppose one could pile it on, but a little goes a long way.

20080621

gaaaah. it's 86˚F here on island, but the 68% humidity is making it feel like 93˚F. i am leth. ar. gic. with a capital arrrrrrrrrrg, so i'm probably going to head out to one of my two favourite refuges from this icky weather.

my mom 'n' pops choice would be mt. lam lam sno n ice cream shop. it's along a main highway, but it is a village stand (albeit indoors) with just a few benches to sit upon, manned by teenagers whose tips go towards their college fund. love that. this is very much a family and village affair, where the kids in the neighbourhood go to pick up a shave ice to eat on the way home, or a softball team will celebrate with sundaes eaten outside on the stoop or sitting in the back of pickup truck in the parking lot.

the menu is small; besides the shave ice/snow cone offerings, you can get your choice of (foremost brand?) ice cream in cone, cup or aga sundae (their version of a banana split), a couple of drink options, and a decent, slightly-above-basic halo-halo, the filipino confection of shaved ice, preserved fruits, and milk.

my other favourite is the shave ice surprise, which you can get in any flavour of the rainbow (except li hing mui, the preserved plum flavouring from hawaii. it's just not a guam thing, drats.). what makes it a surprise? well, if i told you then it wouldn't be a surprise then, would it?

ironically, mt. lam lam is nowhere near the actual mount lamlam, the tallest mountain on island, and purported to be one of the tallest mountains in the world, as its base is somewhere deep in the marianas trench. no, this mt. lamlam is easier to get to in barrigada, and a much less daunting place.

mt. lamlam sno n ice creamroute 8, near the other house of libertybarrigada671.734.4765.

**

a little closer to home is dolce frutti, a six-month old gelateria in the turista zone of tumon. the housemade gelati and sorbets are made on the premise using as fresh as possible ingredients, without emusifiers or preservatives. although the prices are high, the portions are large, the ingredients are good. and while it's not the best gelato i've had, it's nowhere near the worst. my only gripe is that don't particularly care for dolce frutti's version of my favourites--pistachio, vanilla, and fig--but it does pretty good versions of everything else, in particular, anything with a chocolate involved. i recommend stracciatella, its version of mint chocolate chip, or mecroche, which is hazelnut, milk chocolate and crispy bits, like this particular product.

the gelati and sorbets flavours change frequently, but the most popular flavours are almost always available. dolce frutti also does the full complement of coffee drinks, and boasts a decent amount of indoor and outdoor seating. be prepared for a wait, however; it's a perfect spot for people watching, and within walking distance of at least 30 restaurants. also, sometimes it just takes a girl a little while to pick exactly what she wants. :)

portia left a comment on a previous post about a sale at one of my favourite places to shop, the cardinal ceramics outlet:

Hi! We're happy to announce that there will be another Cardinal Ceramics outlet sale at the Market! Market! activity center from June 30 to July 6. We hope to see you there.

for those of you who may not know, cardinal ceramics has been producing porcelain and ceramic wares in the philippines for over 30 years. it began as a vocational project for a "leprosarium", and grew into an international venture in the ensuing years, producing not only the dinnerware for local hotels and restaurants but for brands like dansk and anthropologie. in fact the last time i was in town, i bought pieces from both brands at the outlet shop, at a significant discount (and with no seeming loss of quality).

for the record, i am not paid for any endorsements, i just really like this place :) if you're in town, and in the mood to shop, this might be a great time for a bargain.

remember the macopa/wax jambu i wrote of in a previous post? i passed by a macopa tree a bit back, and thought you might like to see what the fruit look like in the wild. or behind a chinese restaurant in tumon. ha!

the flower of the Syzygium samarangense.

it takes about two months for the fruit to go from bud stage to ripened fruit, although

it seems to stay at this stage for a very, very long time.

the ones on island aren't as big and juicy as this, but are a pretty shade of cherry pink.

termites love the trees, so look out for nests. not that you could miss this one.

20080617

kenko fish spa therapy, my new favourite place in the whole hyoooniverse. here you sit in relaxed, simple splendour--all sunny and calm in the day, all moody and calm at night--with your legs immersed in warm waters up to your knees, like summertime on a dock of a country pond.

only you are in the middle of a kicka** shopping mall, in the heart of the golden triangle tourist and entertainment center of kuala lumpur.

and there are hundreds of tiny fish eating off the worst of your dead skin and callouses. wha-!!!

yeeeheeee! once you realize they are not there to eat you alive (although, seriously, at first you have to wonder, as they can be quite voracious), it is a very pleasant (dare i say mirthful?) experience. ticklish, tickly, nibbly, fish-lippy kisses. there are two sides to choose from--one has smaller fish, the other has much larger ones. however, the little fish can be more aggressive than the big ones, but um, you might just want to start with the smaller mouths just the same.

the fish--garra ruffa, more commonly known as doctor fish, more comically known as reddish log suckers--are native to the central and middle eastern parts of europe and western asia, and have long been bred and used in turkish spas as therapy for psoriasis sufferers as the fish eat the affected or dead skin, leaving new, healthier skin to grow. it isn't considered treatment, but i have to say as someone with mild psoriasis, my feet and skin have never felt better. true, a really good scrubdown is all that is really necessary, but a half hour as feeding fodder for the fishies is a far more entertaining option.

i recommend going in the morning, as there can be quite a crowd in the afternoon and nighttime. the water is changed out and ionized at night, so i figure the pools must be cleaner at in the a.m. (although you are required to clean and scrub your feet before entering the spa area--still), and the fish are definitely hungrier. you have been advised.

DISCLAIMER: this is a personal journal with no desires to be anything but. it contains my opinion with occasional fact thrown in; recipes have been tested where noted, in an unairconditioned kitchen in the tropics. YMMV. for my sake and yours, consult a professional!